Author Archives: Patricia Smith

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a tidy, happy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson’s friend Roly came over to help him build a new design for an automatic potato peeler and afterwards they had lunch together. Benson’s mother looked at all theContinue reading “Rubber Gloves Up!”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a nice, tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Everyone was going to Nanna’s place for a quilting bee. “What’s a quilting bee?” Benson asked his mother. “It’s when everyone gets together and helps make a quilt,” sheContinue reading “The Stick”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a nice, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day when Benson went to the playground, someone new was there. He was a young wombat like Benson, but he didn’t look the same. Benson went up toContinue reading “Ear Mites”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a nice, cosy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson had a secret. It was such a good secret, he could hardly stop himself talking about it. “You’re going to love it,” he said to his mother, andContinue reading “The Leaky Tree”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a nice, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning Benson woke up early and went out to the kitchen before anyone else was up, to get a drink of water. In the middle of the kitchenContinue reading “Benson and the Box”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a tidy, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning Benson woke up early and he was hungry. He went out to the kitchen and decided to make some pancakes. “Pancakes are easy,” he thought to himself.Continue reading “When is a Pancake Not a Pancake?”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a safe, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. At the beginning of the year, Aunt Lillibet gave Benson a present. “It’s a diary,” she said. It was a book with no pictures, and no stories, just datesContinue reading “Benson’s Diary”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a tidy, clean wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning, Benson’s uncle Elton came over. “Guess what?” he said. “The most tremendous thing has happened!” “What’s happened?” Aunt Lillibet said. “You found your missing purple sock?” “No,Continue reading “Aunt Moss’s Kayaking Lesson”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a safe, warm wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning after breakfast, Benson went out to ride his bike. He hadn’t gone very far when he noticed something lying under some bushes at the side of theContinue reading “The Endling”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a safe, warm wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson and his mother were going to the big park to have a picnic. Benson made some sandwiches with almond butter and watercress and celery, and his mother madeContinue reading “The Soccer Ball”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a nice, happy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson went to visit his friend, Roly, one day, to have a chat about things. He liked talking to Roly because Roly knew things, and he always listened withoutContinue reading “Echidna on a Skateboard”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a nice, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson’s Nanna had a cough that wouldn’t go away. It made her very tired. Sometimes she was so tired, she couldn’t work in the the garden and she justContinue reading “Nanna’s Holiday”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a comfortable, tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson was trying to build a fort out of old pieces of wood, and he got a splinter in his finger. “My finger hurts,” he said to his mother.Continue reading “A Splinter in Your Finger”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a very comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning when Benson was having breakfast, his mother said, “I think we’ll go and visit Nanna today.” Benson said, “Can I make something special for her?” His motherContinue reading “Mushroom Marmalade”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a safe, warm wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Aunt Moss was going to visit an old friend who lived a long way away in another valley. Benson’s mother said, “I’m worried about Aunt Moss going all thatContinue reading “The Landslide”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a comfortable, tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One night after dinner, Benson and his mother were just doing the dishes when they heard a big bang outside. “What was that?” Benson said. They both stopped andContinue reading “Fireworks”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a nice, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss.One morning when Benson’s mother took him to the playground, there was a new wombat sitting in the sand-pit. Benson went up to say hello.“Hi, my name’s Benson,” he said.Continue reading “Sandpit Wars”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a happy, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning just before lunch, Benson went for a walk down to the creek. His cousin Elmer was there, digging. “Hi Elmer,” Benson said. “What are you doing here?”Continue reading “Forgiveness”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a calm, peaceful wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Aunt Moss had a headache. “My head is really hurting,” she said. “I think I’ll go and lie down.” Benson’s mother made her a nice cup of cardamom andContinue reading “Aunt Moss’s Headache”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a comfy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson and his mother were out shopping. They went past a big paperbark tree and Benson stopped. “What’s that noise?” he said. His mother looked up into the tree. “RainbowContinue reading “Quoll”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a warm, comfy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. It was a very hot summer. In the bush where Benson lived, the noise of cicadas singing filled the air all day long. Sometimes it got so loud thatContinue reading “Cicadas Singing”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a clean, roomy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson went to the playground with his mother. It was a beautiful sunny day, and everyone was there, playing and talking to each other. Benson’s friend Mick said, “Let’sContinue reading “The See-Saw”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a clean and tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson spent the morning digging. When his tummy told him it was just about lunchtime, he came in to wash his hands. His mother and Aunt Moss wereContinue reading “Decisions, Decisions”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a safe, warm wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Benson’s Uncle Elton came over with Benson’s cousin Elmer. “I’m taking Elmer climbing up on Black Mountain,” he said. “I thought Benson might like to come alongContinue reading “Mountain Climbing”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a warm, tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Benson was over at Nils and Nella’s house playing hide-and-seek, when he saw something white flash between the trees up high, and he heard someone call, “Yip,Continue reading “Gliding”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a comfortable, tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson was writing a letter. “How do you spell alphabetically?” he asked Aunt Lillibet. Aunt Lillibet didn’t know exactly, so she asked, “Why do you want to know?” whileContinue reading “Spelling”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a warm, tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson was walking along one day when something fell out of the sky and hit him on the head. “Ow!” he said. He looked around for what had hitContinue reading “Lost and Found”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a roomy, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Benson’s mother came home from her Bushcare group looking worried. She went into the kitchen where Aunt Lillibet was making a rockmelon smoothie for Benson and hisContinue reading “Waddle”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a nice, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Benson was exploring in the bush down by the creek with his friend, Roly, when they heard a noise like an animal calling for help. “What’s that?”Continue reading “The White Wombat”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a warm, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day when Benson was at the playground with his friend, Mick and his sister Bonnie Lou, a bird came and landed on his head. Mick said, “Watch out,Continue reading “A Bird on Your Head”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a warm, safe wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Aunt Lillibet’s friend Gordon came over to ask Benson something. He said, “It’s Hairy Nose Day soon, you know. The committee has decided that this year we want somethingContinue reading “Hairy Nose Day”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a warm, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Aunt Moss’s friend, Shelley, had a party to celebrate Earth Day, and everyone had to come as an animal. Benson said to his mother, “I want to be aContinue reading “Penguin”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a nice, roomy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning Benson woke up and there was a song stuck in his head. He went out to see his mother. “There’s something stuck in my head,” he said.Continue reading “Music in your Head”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a nice, tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. In the summertime, nearly everyone went away on holidays. Benson’s friend Mick and his family were going to the beach for a week, and Alejandro and his family wereContinue reading “Not Going on Holidays”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a clean, tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Aunt Moss made some of her very best lime butter, and she decided to take some over to Uncle Elton. “Elton loves lime butter,” she said. “Everyone loves yourContinue reading “Getting Elmer Down”